Counterpoising mechanism



Febfjzo, 1923. 1,446,254 c.AA. HENRY GOUNTERPOIS-ING MEGHANISM I Inv/evwo 7'; char/waffen@ Feb. 2o, i923.

c. A. HENRY COUNTERPISING MECHANISM Filed oef.. 17,1921A ments -incounterpoising mechanism, and like' Patented Feb. 20, 1923.

' irairany STATES CHARLES A; HENRY, p (iF-CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

coUNTERPoIsING MECHANISM. i

Application filed October 17, 1921,. Serial No. 508,192.

To all lwhom it may cof/teem.'

Be it known that I, CHARLESA Hanny.,

a citizen of the United States, residing atg` Chicago, kin the county ofCook andiState of Illinois, have invented certain new -and* useful4improvements in Counterpoising'Mechanism, of which the following is aspecifica-` tion. f l i, This. invention embodies improvements in myinvention set forth iii Letters .Patent of l Vframe of an automobileshowing a pair of `the devices mounted on the 'rear portion of `thefra-me inv operative connection with the the United States Number1,309,198, issued to me on the 8th of July, 1919, for improve* the saidpatented invention, iis"particularly intended foruse von; automobilesand ambul line 3-3 of Fig. 4 of one of the devices for lances, forreducingto a minimum, or practically eliminating, Jolts, shocks, orabrupt vibrationsincidental to the travel or move-y ment of suchvehicles over uneven surfaces of roads or over.l protruding obstaclesthereon, or depressions therein.

Besides greatly simplify-ing the construction of the device over thatofmy patented device, and thereby reducing the cost of manufacture andlessening the time and labor required for assemblage of the parts of thedevice and its application to avehicle as one of the objects of myp-resent'invention,

i other objects thereof are ythe same as lsety may be dispensed with,andv the thrusts'or y movements ofthe body -of the vehicle impartedthereto bythe wheels passingover the rough oi' uneven roads or surfacesthereof will be brought to a poise bysubstantially counter-balancingor-opposing them with substantially equal' power oneffect, therebyproducing almost perfect equilibrium inthe body of the Vehicle, and sothat it will have very slight undulating movements-only in the travel ofthe vehicle.

Other objects and advantagesof the invention will be disclosed in thesub-joined description and explanation.

lhe invention'consists in certain pecul liarities ofv theconstruction,novel arrangement and operation of the various parts serve to illustratethereof as vwill be hereinafter more fully set yforth and kspecificallyclaimed. v f

In` the accompanying drawings, whic an embodiment of the 1nventionfy l tFig; l is adia'grammatic viewof a pormechanism. 4; i

Fig. 2 is `areark end View of the chassis or rear springs of thevehicle. f

Fig.y 3 isa plan ksectional view taken on the front portion ofthe'vehicle. v

.Figl` is averticalsectional view thereof Ataken on line iw-et of Fig.`5 looking in the direction indicated bythe arrows showing the casing ofone of the devices in a vertical position for the convenience ofillustration but vertically inclined withl respect to the frame. 4 f I fFig. 5 is a plan yview thereof.

6 is. a similar'view to Fig. 4, but showing one of tliedevices for therear por# v6o `tion of theframeofan'automobile or vehit cle `showing itequipped with my improved tion of ythe vehicle with the spring thereofVomitted and illustrating about the-.position-v the toggle orrocking`members ofthe mechanism willr occupy when the wheels of thel vehicleencounter an,l obstacle extended above the surface of the road. i u 'eFig. 7 is a similar view of like parts showing about the position theto-ggle or rocking kmembers of the 'device will occupy `when the in theroad.` f

vwheels of the vehicle encounter ya depression Fig. S is a horizontalsectional-view taken on line 8-8 oflfig. 5 through the bearing of theupper portion of one of theV casings of the device `which unites it tothe frame of a vehicle, and f i 4 i Fig. 9 is a vdetailviewof oneof thelcasings ofthe-device anda part of one of the springs of the vehicle,showing diagrammatically by broken Alines tliedii'ection of tlielmovement of the end of the vehicle spring connected to the devicewillbe caused to make. f

Like numerals of reference referto corresponding parts Vthroughout thedifferent views of the drawings.,`

` To properly equipan `automobile or yvehipreference has on its upperportion near its outer sur` face an upwardly and forwardly extended rib13 whichv are spaced from one another andi provided with horizontallyregV` istering openings 14: for the reception of eccentric collars 15through which is extended andv` keyed thereto preferablyA by means ofa`-I lli/Yoodrufl' key 16, a bolt 17 whichnot only ties the ribs 13transversely together, but also serves to connect the ribs land' casingto the frame 18 at one side of the vehicle, all of which will be readilyunderstood by Areference to Fig. 7 of the drawings.

Onfeach side of the frame member 18 the bolt 17 has mounted thereon acollar 19 to properly space the frame member 18 from the ribs 13 ofthe'ca'sing. By reference to Figs. d to 6 inclusivel of the drawings itwillbe seen that the bolt 17 is located in the rear upperportions of theribs 13 as well as rearwardly of the vertical middle of the casingfrlilhev rear portion of each of the members; of the casing is providedwith a vertical enlargement' 20 each of which has on its lower rearportion an apertured lug 21 in which aperture is located al bolt 22 forfurther securing the counterparts of thev casing together. its frontupper corner each of the casings, which are by substantially'rectangular in shape, is provided with a transverse opening 23 for thereception of a tie -bolt or rod 24- iwhich serves to further secure thecounter-parts of the` casing together. `Each of the -said parts of thecasingis provided in its inner surface with a` cavity 2da, each of whichcavities terminates at its forward portion in a vertically inclinedplane-25 and at its lower end in a` forwardly and downwardly inclinedplane 26. Each of these cavities, by preference, terminates at its upper end in a forwardly and upwardly inclined plane 27, as is clearlyshown' in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive. vllearwardly of the adjacent portionsof the inclined planes 26and 27 the cavity ofeach of the members 11 and12 of the casing is enlarged to permit of free movement of the outerportion of toggle arms 28 or members, one of which is located in thecavity of each of the counter-parts of the casing.

A. plate 29 1s secured by means of screws 30 to the inner surface ofeach of the members 11 and 12 so as to enclose in its cavity one of thetoggle arms 28 the rear portions of which extend into the verticallyinclined enlargement 20 at the rear of the casing, which enlargement isby preference provided `with an opening 31 in each of its side wallsemployed for the purpose of affording access to the interior of thecasing for lubrieating or adjusting certain parts of the mechanism. Eachof these openings 31 is closed by a. door 32 mounted on a pivot 33 onthe outer surface of the side wall of the casingA so that said' door canbe swung to one side of the opening 31 which it covers. Each of thedoors 32 is provided on its lower portion with a hook 34E to engage apin 35 on the outer surface of the wallof the casing below said openingfor the purpose of holding the door in its closed position.

Each of the toggle arms for thelinembers 11 and -12 of the casing isprovided at its forward end with a segmental head 36 which head istransversely elongated with respect' to its arm 28 and? is of suthci'entlength to extend from the inclined plane or surface 26 to the inclinedplane or surface 27 of the cavity 2de of the member of the casing inwhich it is located, and in such' a way as to contact with said planes.rllhe ends of the head` 36 are'ro-unded as shown, and the front arcuate'surface of the head 36 contacts with the vertically inclined plane orsurface' 25 no mattei' what position the toggle arm may assume. Thefront wall of the casing 10 is provided between the plates 29 with avertical slot 37 through which the rear end of one of the vehiclesprings 38 is extended intothe. casing to a point near thel rear wallthereof. ililhen thus positioned, itis apparent that the spring 38 willlie between the pair of toggle arms 28 of the casing to the rear ends ofwhich arms the rear end of the spring 38 is loosely connected by atrans- `verse bolt 39 extended through suitable openings in said parts.

By reference to Fig. 3 of the drawings, it will be observed that therear ends of the plates 29 terminate at or n'ear the front wall oftheenlargement 2O of each of the members of the casing. il posed betweenthe rear end of each of the toggle arms 28 and the rear end of thespring 38 or that portion thereof .vliich is looselyY mounted on the rod39. ly reference to Figs. 1, d and 5' of the drawings, it will beunderstood that the front part of the side 18 of the frame ot' thevehicle will rest -on the tie bolt 2d and in order to` prevent -niembers18 by links which are connected at one of their ends to the tie rods 2dand washer 40 is interat their other ends 'to the frame member A18forwardly of the supporting rods 17 rand the eccentrics thereon.

The front end of each of the rear springs in F 4 to that shown iii Fig'.6 as well as to 38 of the rvehicleis connected toa bracket` 43depending` from the frame ofthe vehicle, and the front ends of the frontsprings 38 of the vehicle are connected to the front ends or portions ofthe sides of the vehicle frame as will befunderstood by reference; tol

Fie'. l oi? the drawings.` By this` arrange;

ment itis manifest that the casingslO can-1 be fixed on theframe of thevehicle with their vertically inclined walls at anyl` desired angle withrespect to the lower surface Ithereof by simply adjusting the eccentricslpon 'the supportingy rods 17 so as to hold said casinfi's with theirvvertically inclined walls at the desired angles `to the vehicle frame'7which angles l havefoundby experience to be about 8O degrees; if

llhile l have shown and described the cas ings as each having a pair ofthe toggle arms.

' 28 and as each havin(y a air of cavities for the receptionvandoperation of said arms, yetv I desire it to be understood that onetoggleai'in in each casing only may beused, which of course would malte theuse of the other cavity unnecessary. I have "also shown each l lcavity2a terminating' at its upper front.

located as above stated andas shown in'Fig.

l, two on each side of the frame andnear the ends of the axles inengagement with the rear ends of -the vehicle springs, the parts' willoccupy their normal or neutral positions shown `in Figi'. 9 of thedrawings ln the movement of thef.veliicle,-should` the wheels thereofpassinto a depressiom` the toggle arms of the casing adjacent saidwheels willassuine about the position shown pres.Y on into which thewheel orwheels of the vehicle has passed is deep enough to'` that themovements' of the lparts will bel corres;iondincly less oi' shorter.`

in the event of the wheels of -the iby said `bodyfand intersecting? saidplane,` in Fig. 7 of Athe drawin,gs7 providedthe d`eii'elii cle istriking' a protruding' obstacle on the surface l of the roadr themovement of the parts' will -bc to about the positions 'shown in Fig'. 6

ot the drawings;in either of which cases it' will bc understood thatthey segmental heads" and downwardly inclined plane 26 'of each what lclaim as new and desire to secure by of the casings, insuch'a way as toroll on ysaid planes or shift their positionsin Contact f therewith fromthe neutral position shown that shown in Fie'. '5 of the drawings. As

`the springs 38 of ther vehicle are connected' totherea'rendsof'tlieftogg'le arms, and as said arnisare independently movableofthe casing' in which they are located, it is manifest that ysaid armswillbe caused to exert movable 'toggle pressure on 'the surface ofthecasing with which they contact and thus cause the springs' tobefextended and contracte'd and the rear ends of the springs to move inabout i the planeA shown by the ybroken line iti-4A in sin; 9 of thedrawings,

whereas if suoli means wei'e not employed,

rthe rear endof the vehicle spring; or springs 1 would describe an arcas shown by the broken line B-B in the last named figure. Thus it willbe seen and understood that in i the downward movement of the supportfor tliespring or springs, they 4will be contracted. and on the .upwardmovement of said supporti be extended. For this reason each CIK of theoasing's l0 `which depend rfrom the l y frame of the Yvehicleareso'inounted'on said. ,frame thaty the angles of the vertically inposedby substantiallyequal 'power or effect,

thusr producing almost perfect" equilibrium inthe body of the vehicleand-rendering its movements ofv a slight undulatingcharacter. f-lavingthus fully described my invention,

Letters Patent is-' l; In a mechanism of the class described, thecombination with a member mounted on andin-iiXed relationtomovable'l'mdy and having a vertically inclined plane, of a bodysupporting spring' carried at one its ends "with `said plane vto causethe last named end of the spring to more in' a line parallel to`saidlplanein the vertical movements of said body. n y v 2. .inamechanism` of the class describedy the combination with `a membermounted on andin fixed relation to :i movable body and the first namedplane` ot a body supporting` spring carriedy at one ot its ends by saidv'body and intersecting vthe vertically inclined plane, and meansconnected to the' other' endof the spring and co-acting. with said.planes to cause the last named end of' the spring to move in a lineparallel to saidi vertically inclined plane in' the vertical movementsof ing a vertically inclined plane terminating' at its lower portion-inain intersecting downwardly inclined plane, of a body supporting springcarried at one oli its ends by said' body and intersecting the'vertically inclined plane', a wheeled: support on: said' spring, andmeans connected to the other endot the spring anov co-a'cting with` saidplanes to cause the spring to be contractedon. the downward movements'oi said support' and to be extended in' the upward movement thereofbeyond the nora-nalE positionl of" the spring.

4:. In a mechanism of the class described, the combination vith amembery mounted on and in xed rela-tion to a movable body and` having aveitically inclined plane terminating at its upper portion in an.intersecting upwardly inclined plane andl terminating at' its lowerportion in an intersecting; downwardly inclined plane, of abodysupporting-v spring carried at one of its ends. by said body andintersecting,` thel vertically inclined plane, and a toggle elementloosely mounted on the other end of the spring and co-acting" with atleast the said vertically inclined plane and the upwardly inclined planeat the lower portion thereof.

5. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combination with the frameor" ay vehicle, of a casing mounted thereon and in lined relationthereto and depending therefrom',vo1i a spring,` secured at one of itsends to the frame in front of said casing and extendedy at its other endthereinto, said casing having a cavity in one of its side wallsterminait-r ing at its front portion in av vertically in` clined planeand at its lower portion in` a downwardly and forwardly inclined planeintersecting the vertically inclined plane, a toggle arm located in saidcavity and loosely secured at its rear end to the rear end of saidspring and having` a segmental head `at its front end for co-action withsaid planes'. 6. ln a mechanism of the class described, the combinationwith the iramc oifa vehicle, oi' a casing mounted thereon in iixedrelation thereto and depending therefrom, said casing' having' a cavityin one kof its side walls terminating at its iront portion in avertically inclined plane and `at its lower portion in a downwardly andforwardly inclined plane intersecting the vertically inclined plane andat its upper portion in any upwardly and forwardly inclined pla-ne, aspring` secured at one oi' its endsv in rontof said casing and extendedat its otherr end thereinto, and?` ai toggle arm located 1nsaid cavityand loosely secured at it'srear'endto terminating aft itsv front portionina vertically inclined plan'e: and at its lower portion inay downwardlyand forwardly inclined planey intersecting: the ve tically inclinedplane, a toggle arm located in each of said cavities andi looselysecured at their rear ends to the rear end of said. spring' and having.a segmental head at its iro-nt end for (3o-action. with said planes.

8;` ln. mechanism of theI class described, the combination with thefrafmeof a vehicle, oli a casi-ngmountedl thereon and in fixed relationthereto and depending` therefrom, oli a spring secured at one of itsends to the frame in. front of said casing and extended at itsother endtliereinto, said casing having a cavity inV cachot its side walls, eachcavity terminating at its front portion in a vertically'inclined planeand at its lower portion in downwardly and forwardly inclined planeintersect-ing the vertically inclined plane and at its upper portion inan upwardly and forwardlyy inclined plane intersecting the verticallyinclined plane, a toggle'arm located in each ot said cavities andlooselyA secured` at their rear ends to the rear end of said. spring andhaving a: segmental head disposed vertically at its front end forcof-action with said planes, the ends of said headr being rounded.

9. In a mechanism ofthe class described, the' combination with the trameof a vehicle, of a casing mounted thereon and in tixed relation:thereto, ot' al spring,y secured at one o its ends to the frame in frontof said casing and extended at its other end thereinto, said casingbeing'adjustably mounted on. the iranle of the vehicle and having acavity in at least one of its side walls, said cavity terminating at itstrout portion in a. vertically inclined planJ and at its lower portionin a downwardly and forwardly inclinedf plane intersecting thevertically inclined plane, a toggle arm located in said cavity andloosely secured at its rear end to the rear end ot said spring andhavingV a segmental head disposed vertically at its front end forco-action with said planes.

10.- Ink a mechanism of the class described. the combination with avehicle :trame and one of its springs, oi' a casing mounted on saidiframe, said casing having in one of its walls a Vertical slot and alongits Side an inwardly faced vertically inclined plane, e toggle armlocated in the oasingand having :L segmental hea-d in Contact with saidplaine, the said spring ofthe vehicle extended into the easing throughsaidk slot and alongside the toggle arm and loosely connectedv to the'same near its end opposite its segmental heed,v said easing` having inits 1 lower portion aplane inclined toward the vertically inclinedplanefor constant co-ac tionwitli the lower portion of the seid heed.

CHARLES A.. HENRY.

